6. Some concluding recommendations

Of course, we can only advise you never to "pirate" software, an act for which we have seen that it can be severely punished with two years' imprisonment and a fine of 150,000 euros, doubled in the case of legal entities. But beyond that, we recommend that readers keep a careful record of the elements that enable them to justify the right to use the software they own.

We're thinking in particular of companies that frequently change hardware and/or update their software. Experience has shown us that it is difficult to manage a fleet of dozens, let alone hundreds or thousands of PCs, while keeping an up-to-date inventory of the software installed on them. If an audit is carried out by an organization such as BSA, the company will be pleased to have kept the licenses attached to the various software packages used or operated. Invoices are not sufficient, unless - and...